On a stormy Sunday several weeks ago on our way back from Bozeman I called Tom Morgan Rod Smiths http://www.troutrods.com/ to see if we could stop by for a visit and see some rods. Tom answered the phone and we chatted about mutual friends and our stays at El Western in Ennis when his parents built it the famous rest lodge. We shared memorable pools on Odell Creek and Tom said that is where he came up with the design for his TMF.
Tom suffering with acute MS was alert and commanding recalling the smallest details of our last visit. Gerri, a saintly woman, and Tom along with the cats live on the Norris ridge road overlooking "Uncle Ted Turners place," the valley bounded on the North by the Madison Range, and West by the Tobacco Roots.
Tom recalled moving Winston Rods to Twin Bridges from San Francisco and how he and Glenn Brackett decided to make Winston a the Hallmark for Western Fly fishing before the sport became part pf pop culture. Tom was fascinated with taper design and the concept of a progressive action and why the 2 piece 4 wt WF-TMF was still one of his favorite rods. We spoke of the Fisher brothers in depth and how he directed Joe to develop his taper when making the Winston's rods. Tom was always dedicated to design. He said he never could wrap as good as Glenn nor even close to Gerri Carlson who finishes Morgan Composite. He described his sale of Winston to a Southern Californian as bitter sweet
I had just finished taking several freshman MSU student from "back East" down the Madison on a drift as part of their welcoming to the West. All were equipped very fast action rods and hell bent on casting across the river to only to be thwarted by the numerous mini current endemic to pocket waters. When a trout did rise they pinged it often. I asked Tom why the emphasis on faster action and his response was simple and true. He said fast action skipped many important learning lessons as one could learn to fling a line quickly. Accuracy suffered and bad habits were hard to correct.
We spoke with Gerri about her trip to walking trip through Europe and her passion for printing. He rod building skills are superb. She is self publishing an almost bespoke Italian bounder book with her own print covering Tom stories and favorite flies. This edition will certainly become highly collectable and part of the Winston - Tom Morgan legacy. The winds were growing stronger and we felt driving in rain and hail might make the Bozeman pass a little shaky and so after an hour and half, good tea and small talk we were on our way feeling that time was important to Tom and Gerri Morgan and I was a tad jealous of not feeling so compelled with time
